Water heater



May 24, 1927.

(l FTDX WATER HEATER Filed Jan. 23, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1,629,658 May24, 1927. O. FOX

WATER HEATER Filed Jan. 23, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 in the appendedclaims.-

Patented May "24, 1927.

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waren *Appia-uan nea :anni n, i622. sentiments.

lThis invention relates to improvements in water heaters, and in certainlrespects is an improvement over the construction shown in my priorPatent No. 1,025.389, patented May In my prior patent I have shown awater heater, the heater or boiler proper of which is composed of anumber of ca'st sections arranged side by side, and each having uprightportions -connected by transverse and slightly inclined ducts or tubes.These ducts or tubes of adjacent elements are staggered, and they havelateral and vertical wings, the lateral wings or extensions of eachelement overlapping the similar wings of adjacent elements.

The heater shown in my priorv patent is eiective. but by the presentinvention is improved in certain particulars, resulting in increasedefficiency, these improvements residing in the form and arrangement ofthe lowermost tubes or ducts of the heater.'

One of these improvements consists in bringing the lower portions of thelower series of cross tubes of all the parallel heater elementssubstantially the same distance from the burners.

Another improvement resides in so forming the lower series of crosstubes that they have less tendency to restrict the upward flow of heatthan do the tubes above.

The invention may be further briey summarized as consisting in certainnovel details of construction, and combinations and arrangementsy ofparts which will be de-y scribed in the specification and set forth Inthe accompanying sheets of drawings showing the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, Fig. 1 is a view looking toward the front of myrtimprovedheater, with a portion tliereoiirin section, substantially along theirregiilar line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, is a side viewliwith the outerwall of the heater removed; Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the heaterelements removed; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the heater with the coveror top removed, and with the two opposite side Walls in section; andFig. '5 is an enlarged sectional view showing the tubes in the lowerpart of the heater.

My improved heater includes a base 10 which may have any suitableconstruction, andwhicli carries a plurality of burners 11 adapted to besupplied with gas from a pipe 12.. O n this base is su vported aplurality of water circulating e enients 13, in the form vof castingsarranged side by side. Aside from the shape and arrangement of thelowermost cross tubes of these castings, the details of the latter areimmaterial, though in a general vway they are similar to the watercirculating elements of my prior patent, but in this instance each isformed of one casting instead of'two castings, as shown in my patent.

Each casting `or water circulating element 1 3 has along the sides,upright conduit portions 13", 13", and these conduit portions areconnected together bycross tubes 14,

forming water ducts, these tubes, as in my inlet header with which allthe elements' communicate. Likewise, the upper front portions of thecastings have similar bosslike extensions 16 which engage one anotherand are connected together, forming in effect an outlet header or wateroutlet, these portions 16 communicating with the upper front part of thewater circulating elements. The rear upright vwalls of the heatingelements 13 abut for their full length, forming a closed rear wall, butpreferably the front upright portions of the elements are slightlyspaced apart forcleaning purposes, but the spaces between them areclosed by upright closure members 17, held in place by clamps 18".Additionally the sides of the boiler are closed by side walls 18 withflanges 18'L which project inwardly between the lateral wings orextensions of the cross tubes of the two outer elements 13. Additionallythe heater is provided With a suitable top or cover 19.

In my prior patent the shape of the lowermost cross tubes are identicalwith the f staggered, the rlowermost tubes f `alternate bottom tubes ofpart ofthe elements are considerably less effective for heating purposesthan the bottom tubes of the other elements which are closer to theburners.

The one important improvement which I have made consists in bringing thebottom portions of the bottom tubes of all the elements to the same, orsubstantially,the-same level. In the drawings, the bottom tubes ofcertain of the elements (two in this instance) are designated 14, andthe bottom tubes of the other'alternate elements (three in thisinstance) are designated 14h. In accordance with my invention, the lowerportion of tubes 14a are brought to, or substantially to the same levelas the lower portions of the tubes 14". This is accomplished byextending the bottom wings of the tubes 14 considerably lower than inthe tubes above them. Also the tubes 14 are lowered somewhat 'rom thetubes immediately above them, whereas the tubes 14h are elevatedslightly or brought somewhat closer to the tubes immediately abovethemas regards the spacing between the remainder of the tubes of eachelement.

Furthermore, when the tubes are all alike, as shown in my prior patent,I find that the upward flow of the heat is considerably obstructed 4bythe lateral wings of the lowermost tubes causing a too intense heatingaction at this point, and I ind that the eliciency ot the heater isconsiderably improved by so forming the lowermost tubes of the severalelements 13 that they will `have a vless heat obstructing eiTect thanthe ltubes above, and it will be observed that the lowermost tubes ofthe different elements 1:5 are narrower than the remaining tubes, that.

is to say, the lateral extensions are shorter.

Likewisethe bottom extensions merge more gradually into the lateralextensions, thus avoiding abrupt changes in shape or curvature, andproviding a less battling eii'eet than is' produced by the tubes abovethe lowermost. On the other hand, the heat can pass upward quite freelybetween the lowermost tubes.

Thus while tortuous passageways are prorided for the heat from thebottom to the top of the heating elements, nevertheless, there is littlerestriction or baffling at the bottom, as is desired, whereas there 1s aconsiderable baiiiing by the overlapping wings of the tubes above thelowermost tubes, as is desired.

By these changes in the shape and relative Aarrangement of the lowermosttubes,

' the efficiency of the heater as a. whole is imall modificationswhichydo not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention. asdefined in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A water heater comprising a series of water circulating elementsarranged side by side and each comprising upright water conveyingAportions and transverse ducts extending between the same, burnersarranged beneath the elements, the ducts of adjacent elements beingstaggered, and the bottom portions of the lowermost ducts oi' saidelements being at substantially the same level.

2. In a water heater, a plurality of water circulating elements arrangedside by side and each comprising upright portions-and transverse ductsconnecting the same, all for the circulation of water, the ducts ofadjacent elements being staggered, the bottom portions of the lowermostducts of the diierent elements being more nearly in the same level thanthe bottom portions of the ducts above the lowermost.

3. Ina water heater, a plurality of water circulating elements arrangedside by side and each comprising upright portions and transverse ductsconnecting the same, all for the circulation of water, the ducts beingarranged in superposed series, with the ducts lof each series staggered,and the ducts having lateral extensions, the lateral width of the ductsof the vlowermost of the su erposed series/being less than the lateralwidth of the ducts ,above the lowermost series.

4. In a water heater, a series of water heating elements arranged sideby side and each composed of upright portions and transverse ducts,ltheducts being provided with staggered lateral extensions forming tortuousassageways for the heat, the passageways icing the lowermost ducts beingless tortuous than between the ducts above the lowermost.

5. In a water heater, a plurality of water circulating elements arrangedside by side, burners beneath the same, each element being composed ofupright portions and transverse tubes, all of the tubes being providedwith lateral extensions, the extensions of the tubes of one elementprojecting into the space between'extensions of tubes of adjacentelements, whereby tertuous passagcways are formed between adjacent tubesfor baiiiing the heat in its upward travel between the tubes, thepassageway between the lowermost tubes of adjacent elements being lesstortuous: than between the tubes above the lowermost.

6. In a water heater, a plurality of adjacent water circulatingelements, burners arranged beneath the same, each element being composedof upright portions and connecting tubes, the tubes of adjacent elementshaving lateral extensions, the extensions of the tubes of one elementprojecting into the space between extensions of tubes of adjacentelements thereby forming tortuous passageways for the heat, the opposed-sides of the lowermost tubes of adjacent elements having more of avertical disposition than theltubes above the lowermost whereby saidlowermost tubes have less baiiin'g effect than the tubes above thelowermost.

7. In a water heater, a plurality of heating elements, each providedwith upright portions and with transverse connectmg tubes, the tubes ofadjacent elements having lateral extensions,` the extensions of thetubes of one of the elements projecting into the spaces betweenextensions of tubes of adjacent elements, thereby forming tortuouspassageways for the heat, the juncture of the l5 bottom and laterallyextendin portions of the lowermost tubes of said e ements being -lessabrupt than in the tubes above them whereby the baling effect of thelowermost tubes is less than that of the tubes above the 20 lowermost.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto ax my si ature.

gn OTTO FOX.

